An exclusive interview with Araz-Nakhchivan player Urfan Abbasov for Idman.biz
– Araz-Nakhchivan secured the bronze medal and a spot in the UEFA Conference League. Was this the goal from the start of the season?
– Honestly, when the season began, qualifying for European competitions wasn’t on the agenda. But as the season progressed and we saw our good results, we started to believe. In the end, we finished third in the league.
– The final weeks of the season saw a tough battle with Turan Tovuz. Did you have any doubts during that period?
– We tried to approach every match with strong motivation. The first half of the season went very well, but we faced some issues in the second half. Injuries and stadium-related problems affected our performance, and we dropped points. But in the end, what matters is the result — and we achieved that. Now we’ll focus on doing well in the Conference League too.
– Has the team set any specific goals for the Conference League yet?
– I believe the most important thing is a professional approach and having a deep squad. If we bring in quality players, the team will get even stronger. Nothing has been finalized yet, though. Everyone is in wait-and-see mode — many of the players’ contracts, including mine, are ending.
– Do you want to stay with Araz-Nakhchivan?
– If discussions take place, I think things could go positively.
– Your former club Gabala is returning to the Premier League. What if they make you an offer?
– I haven’t received any offers yet. Any proposal needs to be carefully considered. Right now, I can’t say anything definitive — we still have one more match to play against Zira. Maybe after that, we’ll talk.
– So there’s nothing concrete about your future yet. Looking back on this season, which match stood out to you the most?
– Every game was interesting and competitive. Honestly, I can’t single out a particular match. But I do believe we would’ve played even better and with more motivation if we had the chance to perform in front of a large crowd in Nakhchivan. I hope this will be considered for next season. Despite stadium issues and injuries, Araz-Nakhchivan achieved a great result.
– Your matches against Qarabag were especially memorable — and not just for positive reasons.
– Matches against Qarabag are always intense. We’re extra motivated to play them. It’s normal for football to have such rivalries. Everyone knows how strong Qarabag is — they have experience in European competitions and the Champions League. We gave it our best, but they probably outperformed us in terms of quality. As for the on-pitch incidents — such misunderstandings between players are part of football. What happens on the pitch stays there. In those moments, our goal is to calm the team down, because unnecessary cards affect future matches.
– From a personal performance perspective, how was the season for you?
– Thankfully, I didn’t have any major injuries this season. I played in about 90–95% of the matches. I don’t think it was a bad season for me. Of course, there were some matches where I didn’t perform well — that’s football. I tried my best to support the team. Age is also a factor — I’m not that young anymore.
– When do you plan to retire?
– As long as I have the strength, I’ll keep playing. I think I can still contribute to teams for another one or two years.
– Were the players rewarded after this achievement?
– The management has always supported us. We know there will be rewards. We’re just waiting.
– Do you know the amount of the reward?
– It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to say.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
